New York Mets Playing Musical Chairs with Former A's Starters

Feb 15, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea (59) plays catch during a spring training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The New York Mets announced on Monday that starter Sean Manaea has a right oblique strain and will miss Opening Day. After a breakout second half with New York, the loss of Manaea for any extended period could loom large for the Mets as they look to build upon their NLCS appearance a year ago.

The NL East figures to be tougher this year, with the Atlanta Braves more healthy than they were a year ago, the Philadelphia Phillies still firmly in the mix, and even the Washington Nationals, who may not be contenders just yet, looking to take a step forward of their own.

If Manaea is out for a couple of weeks to start the season, that's not going to sink the Mets' season after they've spent the offseason building up some of their depth around the diamond. But obliques can be tricky, and this could be something that lingers.

The Mets are also set to be without another former A's starter, Frankie Montas, for at least the month of April. This could be setting the stage for yet another former A's pitcher to make the starting rotation out of camp.

Paul Blackburn was traded from Oakland to New York at last year's deadline, with the A's landing right-hander Kade Morris in exchange for the 31-year-old. He made five starts with New York, holding a 5.18 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP, but he too landed on the IL with a right hand contusion.

The big question the Mets will be facing now is whether or not they feel the need to make a trade to acquire another starter. While both Montas and Manaea are expected to return well before the All Star break, the cushion that they had against injuries is already dissipating.

Luckily for the Mets, there is a former A's starting pitcher still on the market in Alex Wood if they wanted to dip into that pond one more time.

The more likely option would be New York going out and making a deal for another back-end starter. The one problem here would be that there aren't many teams willing to trade away from their own depth at this point in camp, with the majority of teams believing at least to some degree they could have a shot this season.

We'll have to see what the Mets next moves will be, if they make any at all.